The Greatest Of All Time Ending Explained

The Greatest of All Time ends with an intense showdown between Gandhi (not that one!) and Sanjay, also known as Jeevan. The rivalry stems from the complex web of Menon’s terrorist activities, Gandhi’s reckless anti-terrorism operations, and the venomous hatred Menon instilled in Jeevan against his biological father, Gandhi.

To make sense of this convoluted plot, let’s break it down.

Was Jeevan Actually Sanjay?

In the beginning, Menon, a wanted terrorist, travels by train through Kenya with a vial of uranium. Gandhi’s Special Anti-Terrorist Unit targets Menon, aiming to capture both him and the uranium. But the mission goes wrong—spectacularly. The train derails, killing Menon’s entire family. Gandhi and his team, unaware that Menon had his family with him, don’t bother to check the wreckage. They believe Menon is dead based on information from Kalyan and consider the mission a success.

However, Menon survives and seeks revenge. He collaborates with Kalyan to abduct Gandhi’s son, Jeevan, and turns him into a weapon against his biological father. This creates a moral dilemma for Gandhi: How can he eliminate his son right after reuniting with him?

Throughout the film’s third act, the adult Jeevan insists he is Sanjay, a name given to him by Menon. It appears that he has convinced himself over the years that he is Menon’s son to sever all emotional ties with his real family. But in a shocking twist, the movie hints that Sanjay might be telling the truth. During a mid-credits scene, we learn that Sanjay is actually a clone, and two other men resembling Gandhi are preparing for the next phase of their mission. The real Jeevan might actually be the man in the orange suit—a cloning specialist using the DNA of someone who looks like Gandhi to create clones.

So, was Jeevan really Sanjay? The film leaves it ambiguous. It raises the possibility that Jeevan might not even exist anymore and that everyone we see might just be clones—copies of either Gandhi or Jeevan.

What Happened to Menon and Kalyan?

While the ending sheds light on Sanjay’s fate, it leaves the fates of Menon and Kalyan unresolved. Menon and Kalyan had originally planned to ruin Gandhi’s reputation before killing him. Sanjay, while operating under Menon’s orders, murders Ajay and Naseer, but blames Gandhi for these assassinations. Things get complicated when Sanjay and Kalyan use Srinidhi, Sunil’s daughter, to free Menon from the port authority and later kill her to hide their true loyalties.

During these events, Gandhi uncovers Kalyan’s betrayal. Kalyan had dealt the final blow to Srinidhi, so Gandhi uses Sanjay to fake Sunil’s death. Gandhi then allows himself to be captured by Sanjay, who takes him to Menon in an abandoned warehouse. There, Menon reveals his plan to blow up Chepauk Stadium.

While Sanjay plants the explosives around the stadium, Gandhi captures Menon to gain leverage. When Kalyan comes looking for Menon, Sunil confronts him and beats him severely. The film cuts away before we see what happens next, but it’s heavily implied that Sunil kills Kalyan in a fit of rage over his daughter’s death.

As for Menon, after planting the explosives, Gandhi leaves him in a random bathroom stall, asking actor Sivakarthikeyan to keep an eye on him. The film doesn’t clarify what happens to Menon after that. Did he escape? Did Gandhi capture him again? Or did Sivakarthikeyan kill him to prevent future problems? The movie doesn’t provide any answers, leaving his fate a mystery.

What To Expect From the Sequel?

The sequel, tentatively titled The GOAT vs. OG (The Greatest of All Time Vs. Original Gangster), will likely explore the confrontation between Gandhi and some version of Jeevan. However, the sequel must address the sudden shift in genre from thriller to sci-fi. Viewers will want to know how the cloning machine came into existence, as cloning seems outside the scope of Menon’s previous activities. Menon may have been involved in uranium and explosives, but cloning is a different game altogether.

The GOAT vs. OG might dive into the origins of this cloning plan, explaining why there are multiple Jeevans or Gandhi lookalikes. It could also reveal what happened to Menon and Kalyan and whether they will team up with the cloning-expert version of Jeevan. Since Mohan and Prabhu Deva are significant actors, their characters will likely return for the sequel.

The first film’s lack of meaningful female roles was noticeable, so the sequel should aim to give its female characters more depth. Venkat Prabhu could turn Jeevitha, Gandhi’s daughter, into a central figure. She might ally with her father to defeat the clones her brother is creating. Injecting strong female characters into the story could add a fresh dynamic to the sequel.

The ending of The Greatest of All Time leaves us with more questions than answers, paving the way for an intriguing sequel. What do you think happened to Menon and Kalyan? Do you believe Sanjay was truly Jeevan, or just another clone? Share your theories and thoughts in the comments below!